Soda's soul searching
by Lovetoread75
Summary: Soda is searching for his soul mate
1. Chapter 1

It was a sunny Summer morning. Soda was walking around the house whistling getting ready to go watch Dally perform in a race. "Are you ready?" he yelled to Darry and Pony.

"In a minute," Pony replied. In a couple of minutes Darry and Pony walked up to the truck, where Soda was waiting for them impatiently. The Rest o f the guys were supposed to meet them there.

These days Soda was doing better. After what happened with Sandy he was really bummed out and refused to date anyone. Then he got tired of being that way and started dating. He said he believed there was someone for everyone out there and he was determined to find his match. It seemed Steve and Evie hooked him up with a new girl each week, but he always returned disappointed from his dates. There was always something wrong with the girl. Pony and the guys would have never guessed that Soda would have a problem with finding a girlfriend being that he was so good looking and girls were attracted to him like bees to honey, but apparently that didn't help him find the right girl.

They arrived just on time. Steve and Two-Bit were already there. They settled down and were watching the race. Dally was taking it slow at the beginning trying to save his energy for the end. At about ten minutes before the end he started speeding up abruptly. He was now third. The guys got up from their seats and were cheering loudly for Dally. Then they noticed a girl in the row in front of them also got up and was cheering for Dally's opponent.

"There's no way he's gonna win," Soda said loudly to her. She turned around. She was a looker and it didn't escape Darry how Soda looked at her. "He has no chance against Dally," Soda stated with finality.

"We'll just wait'n see," the girl replied boldly.

"How 'bout this," Soda winked at her, "if Dally wins you gotta give me your phone number."

"You are a quick one," she laughed, "aren't you? Ok you got a deal." Of course Dally won, and the girl, whose name was Tiffany, gave Soda her phone number.

The next morning Pony walked into the living room to see Soda sitting next to the phone. "What's the matter?" Pony asked.

"Oh, it's nothing," Soda replied I just gotta call Tiffany,"

"So, why don't you call her?" Pony asked confused.

"I will in a minute," Soda replied, "I'm just a little…," he paused, "I'm just a little nervous," Pony chuckled. It was so not like Soda to fuss over calling a girl.

"Hey, wipe that smirk off your face," Soda said a little apprehensive.

"Ok, ok," Pony said still chuckling, and walking into the kitchen to grab something to eat. Soda just sat there next to the phone for a couple more minutes, then finally dialed the number.


	2. Chapter 2

That evening at six sharp Soda was parking in the middle class neighborhood at the address Tiffany gave him.

He rang the bell and knowing that it was for her Tiffany opened the door. She was wearing a white lace blouse and a black skirt. Her hair was down and she looked really beautiful.

"Hey, you look great," Soda said admiring her.

"Well, thank you, you are not so bad yourself," she smiled widely. Soda knew he couldn't take her to his neighborhood, couldn't take her to the Dingo so he drove to Danny's which was a middle class joint. They took a seat and ordered food. The place was nice enough. It was clean and a nice band was playing soft relaxing music.

"So tell me a little bit about yourself," Soda asked.

"Well, I was born and raised in New Orleans. I love it out there, but we moved here six months ago because my dad got sent here from his job. What about you?"

For a second there Soda felt embarrassed because he didn't have education but he was working and helping to pay the bills and he was proud of that. "Well," he started, "I dropped out of High School when I was seventeen. My parents got killed in a car crash and I had to help my older brother to pay the bills so I got a job at a gas station."

"I am really sorry," Tiffany said, paling a little.

"It's ok," Soda replied quietly, looking down, then continued. "I wasn't doing that well in school anyway. It's just not my thing." She nodded, "I understand it's not for everyone."

"My best friend and me we are going to own that gas station one day." Soda added and there was determination in his voice, like he really meant it. She nodded again, "that would be nice to have your own thing, to be your own boss."

"Yeah, that's pretty neat," Soda agreed.

"Well," Soda said after they talked for a little longer and were done with their food, "dinner is only a part of our date today".

"What's the other part?" She asked smiling.

"Well, I kind of drag race and there's a race tonight would you watch me race?" She was thoughtful for a moment then looked up at Soda and said, "Isn't that dangerous?"

"Well that's the point," Soda said, excitement in his voice "that's the thrill of it." Soda paid for the food. She wanted to pay her bill but Soda insisted on paying. She was a little quiet as they got to the car.


	3. Chapter 3

Soon they pulled up to the area behind the school. It was an empty road and it was going uphill then straight and then downhill. When they arrived, there were a lot of people, and everyone was talking and smoking. The ones that were going to race were standing by their cars, while spectators were crowding the area a little further down.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Tiffany said looking Soda right in the eyes.

"Relax," Soda laughed in response, "it ain't the first time I'm racing, but this is not horse races for ya," he laughed again.

Soda went into the crowd, and motioned for Tiffany to follow him. He shook people's hands and introduced Tiffany to them. Then he went to his car, waiting for the race to start. He nodded slightly acknowledging the other drivers.

Finally it started. The goal was to race 5 laps. At the end of the second lap Soda was in the lead.

"He's gonna win the whole thing," Steve, who was watching with Tiffany, said proudly. "Won't be the first time either."

"The cars," Tiffany said, "they are too close to each other. They could easily bump into each other." At that moment Soda was passing where Tiffany and Steve were standing. He turned his head towards them, smiled and honked his horn to acknowledge them. At that moment while he wasn't looking, another car bumped his car from the side. Soda's car literally flew in the air and landed on the area on the side onto the grass.

"Oh my God!" Tiffany yelled. "I was afraid something like that would happen." "Never happened before," Steve mumbled while they were running to the car. A few people from the crowd were running with them as well. The car was turned to its side, and Soda was trapped inside. Steve busted the window and dragged Soda through it. He was unconscious and his temple was bleeding.

"I'll drive him to the hospital," he yelled to Tiffany, picking up Soda, "you don't have to go if you don't want to."

"I'll go with you," she yelled back. Soda was bleeding in several other places besides his face and his temple. His left hand was bleeding and it was just hanging there like it didn't belong to him.

"He broke his hand" Steve said looking at it. Steve got in the driver's seat, while Tiffany stayed with Soda in the back seat. They made it to the hospital in no time.


	4. Chapter 4

They explained everything that happened to the nurse at the ER. She immediately placed Soda on a gurney and called the doctor. Steve and Tiffany had no option but to wait in the waiting room. "Damn it," Steve cursed, slamming his fist against the side of his chair "he raced so many times and nothing like that ever happened. How could he be so careless?"

"I feel like it's my fault," Tiffany said in a low voice full of guilt and shifting uncomfortably in her chair.

"How so?" Steve asked, looking up at her confused.

"He wasn't paying attention to what was going on around him he was too busy waiving at me trying to impress me."

"C'mon," Steve said, "don't beat yourself up it's not your fault."

"I hope he's gonna be ok" Tiffany said, and a tear rolled down her cheek.

"You really like him don't you?" Steve said.

"I know we just met, but I do," she replied almost whispering.

Steve called Darry, and the rest of the gang arrived just on time. The doctor walked into the waiting room. Family o f Sodapop Curtis he called out. Everybody got up form their seats and went to where the doctor was standing.

"How is he? Is he going to be ok?" Tiffany asked apprehensively.

"He suffered a concussion," the doctor said, "and his left arm is broken."

"We figured that much ourselves," Steve mumbled under his breath.

"Is he conscious now?" Tiffany asked. The doctor nodded.

"He gained consciousness about an hour ago."

"Can we see him?" Tiffany asked.

"It would be better for him not to have any visitors for a little while. Maybe tomorrow you can see him


	5. Chapter 5

A few days passed by. Soda stayed at the hospital, his arm was in a sling. And he had to stay lying down and not sit up. He wasn't even allowed to watch TV. The gang and Tiffany visited him every day, but the doctor didn't allow them to stay for more than half an hour. Said it would be bad for his brain recovery.

In about a week he was ready to go home. The doctor gave them instructions for Soda not to give too much strain on his brain - read only for a little while, which was not a problem since Soda never read anyway, watch TV no more than three hours per day. That was a little more difficult to implement. Soda asked if he could go back to work, and the doctor made it very clear that if Soda went back to work within the next two weeks he'd be back at the hospital. That was the thing Soda was bummed out about the most. He was losing money, and also that meant that Steve would have to do all the work.

On the day of Soda's discharge they were all ready to leave. The guys exited the room while Tiffany was still inside. Soda grabbed her arm and pulled her closer. "Thank you for being there for me." She blushed, "you don't have to thank me," she said and added, "I'm sorry."

"What for?" Soda asked totally surprised.

"If you weren't distracted by me this wouldn't have happened," she replied looking down. He took her chin lifting it up for her to look at him.

"I'd rather have you in my life and be distracted by you and be in the hospital every single day than not have you in my life. And besides I'm the one who's sorry. I ruined our first date." She was going to say something, but before she got a chance to he pulled her closer and kissed her gently on the lips. She didn't pull away and kissed him back.


End file.
